Illegal To Be Overweight?

So yes in Japan it is now illegal to be overweight. The government has drawn up laws that stipulate people need to be of a specific waist size or less. The law forces companies to have their employees waist sizes measured and if the employees who are overweight do not lose the weight then their company will be subject to heavy fines.

So what about those people who simply have obesity problems or those who simply can't afford over priced health foods? What seems the most likely course of action for companies that get fined because their employees have waistlines that are beyond what they are supposed to be? Does it not seem likely that companies will fire them? Of course even in Japan this would be against their job policies but then they would simply fire them claiming it was a different issue. What becomes the overall fate of obese people in this case? Do they simply get drummed out of the workforce completely. Unable to be able to work and then pushed into poverty by the government?

To me this is an enormous issue and seems to me that they are indirectly encroaching on people's personal rights and freedoms. Now I don't think that things are quite the same in Japan as they are in North America but the last time I checked Japan was supposed to be a democratic country. I have a difficult time imagining voters in Japan all of whom would be subjected to this law/punishment voting for such a thing to become law.

I know that if such a law was ever put forth here that it would be unlikely to ever see the light of day. If it did they would probably have to fire half of the known workforce. Personally I am not an obese man, I wouldn't even consider myself fat but I'm not a size 32 waist size, I don't think I ever was (about a 34 in high school) so even if it is determined by height, and other factors I don't know that I would fit into their idea of what my proper weight should be. With all due respect why should I, it's my body. I'm not property of the state.

Many may say that as a society we need to lose weight and live healthier and I agree. As I past out of my teens and entered my late 20s I began to notice changes in my body and now walk to work, take walks in the evening, try to eat healthier foods, more veggies, etc. I also would recommend to others to live a healthier lifestyle. But to be honest what I decide to do or not do for my own health is mine to decide and not the government's business. Any country claiming to be democratic should not be forcing their citizens to lose weight.

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